carnatic music

Carnatic music, or Karnāṭaka saṅgītam is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. It is one of two main subgenres of Indian classical music that evolved from ancient Hindu traditions, the other subgenre being Hindustani music. The main emphasis in Carnatic music is on vocal music; most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in gāyaki (singing) style.

Students are taught the basics of Carnatic music under a structured curriculum. Along with this, simple compositions are also taught in order to prepare them for performances and to show the variety and range of Carnatic music. Links to the lyrics and various recordings will be provided to students constantly.

Why Carnatic Music is a very interesting article written by Todd McComb detailing the similarities between Carnatic & Western music.